1. Field of Use
This disclosure is directed to an image-forming apparatus and an intermediate transfer member.
2. Background
Image-forming apparatuses in which a color or black and white image is formed by using an intermediate transfer member to electrostatically transfer toner are well known. When an image is formed on a sheet of paper in a color image-forming apparatus using such an intermediate transfer member, four color images in yellow, magenta, cyan and black respectively are generally first transferred sequentially from an image carrier such as a photoreceptor and superimposed on the intermediate transfer member (the primary transfer). This full color image is then transferred to a sheet of paper in a single step (the secondary transfer). In a black and white image-forming apparatus, a black image is transferred from the photoreceptor, superimposed on an intermediate transfer member, and then transferred to a sheet of paper.
Certain intermediate transfer members are in the form of seamless belts. These intermediate transfer belts (ITBs) are costly to manufacture; however, seamless belts are advantageous in that such belts reduce print cycle time. The high cost of these belts is especially true with large pitch belts, where more expensive polyimide type polymers are required. It would be desirable to be able to remanufacture seamless ITBs so that useful life of the seamless ITBs can be extended. Such remanufacturing requires the properties of the seamless ITB to meet the requirements of a new seamless ITB.